Marital and civil partnership status

The legal relationship a person has with another person on census day (20 March 2022) regardless of current living arrangements. Married, divorced, and widowed are examples of marital status. In a registered civil partnership, separated, but still legally in a civil partnership, formerly in a civil partnership which is now legally dissolved or surviving partner from a civil partnership are examples of civil partnership status.

Total number of categories 10

Question 5 - On 20th March 2022, what is your legal marital or registered civil partnership status?

• Never married and never registered in a civil partnership
• Married
• In a registered civil partnership
• Separated, but still legally married
• Separated, but still legally in a civil partnership
• Divorced
• Formerly in a civil partnership which is now legally dissolved
• Widowed
• Surviving partner from a civil partnership

Marital or same sex civil partnership status information is used by a wide range of users. It is also a protected characteristic as set out in the Equality Act 2010 and the data are widely used by central government and other public authorities in equality impact assessments, which in turn inform policies and practices

This question is broadly comparably to the question asked during Scotland's Census 2011. The reference to "same-sex" in the tick box response options for civil partnerships have been removed for Census 2022 to reflect the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 which allow opposite sex couples to enter a civil partnership.

Marital and civil partnership status classifies an individual according to their legal marital or registered same-sex civil partnership status as at 27^th March 2011. This topic was included in the 2001 Census but it has to be revised in order to take account of registered same-sex partnerships after the adoption of the Civil Partnership Act 2004.

Total number of categories 10

4: On the 27 March 2011, what is your legal marital or same-sex civil partnership status?

1. Never married and never registered a same-sex civil partnership
2. Married
3. Separated, but still legally married
4. Divorced
5. Widowed
6. In a registered same-sex civil partnership
7. Separated, but still legally in a same-sex civil partnershio
8. Formerly in a same-sex civil partnership which is now legally dissolved
9. Surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership

The question on marital status is an essential one for producing statistical information on population. Combined with other variables, such as age and gender, this information is used to calculate things such as mortality, fertility and marriage and divorce rates.

This information is further used to observe trends and life expectancy, the make-up of households that allows the Government and policy makers to put in place welfare reforms in areas such as planning accommodation and services for the groups of people in need.

On 27 March 2011, what is your legal marital or same-sex civil partnership status?

• Never married and never registered in a same-sex civil partnership
• Married
• Separated, but still legally married
• Divorced
• Widowed
• In a registered same-sex civil partnership
• Separated, but still legally in a same-sex civil partnership
• Formerly in a same-sex civil partnership which is now legally dissolved
• Surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership

There is evidence that the Census data is not accurate for civil partnership categories.  The main effect is an over count of civil partnership relationships in older age groups.

This was discovered when examining the age distribution of the categories of marital status. The issue was confirmed by comparing the responses with other details on the census form, including relationship information and the gender of the household members.  In addition, a sample of records were matched at an individual level to registration data held by NRS and this also suggested an overcount in the older age groups.

The edit and imputation process changed the reported marital status in a number of older people living in households with other people. This did not affect older people living in single households, as it used data about other household members, and so there was still an implausible age distribution in this category.

The published tables have combined the following marital status and corresponding civil partnership categories to avoid misunderstanding of users:

• ‘Separated, but still legally married’ and ‘Separated, but still legally in a same-sex civil Partnership’
• ‘Divorced’ and ‘Formerly in a same-sex civil partnership which is now legally dissolved’
• ‘Widowed’ and ‘Surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership’

This variable identifies people in terms of their legal marital status on the night of the Census. See also the derived variable - Living Arrangements (LARPUK).

Total number of categories 6